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| © Glenn Wright |
It was a spooktacular night
and a full house at Camden’s atmospheric basement bar at the Green Note, buzzing
in anticipation for an evening that promised moonlight, mischief, and masterful
musicianship.
Jo Harrop opened the evening alongside Thor Jensen, one half of the transatlantic duo Campbell Jensen. On a night rich with songs carrying lunar and Halloween undertones, Jensen — who moved to the UK from Nashville with his musical partner Ashley Campbell — provided a deft and intricate guitar backdrop. His fluid gypsy jazz style created a perfect palette for Harrop’s warm, expressive voice to shine.
The pair wove their way through the great American songbook, keeping loosely to the celestial theme with songs such as Stars Fell on Alabama, That Old Devil Moon, East of the Sun (and West of the Moon), No Moon at All, and Fly Me to the Moon.
After Harrop had set the tone, Jensen stepped to the microphone for a beautifully crafted rendition of Moonglow — the 1934 classic by Eddie DeLange, Will Hudson and Irving Mills. His soft, understated vocal delivery, paired with melodic phrasing reminiscent of Django Reinhardt, transported the audience to a Parisian café of the late 1930s. All that was missing was Stéphane Grappelli’s violin. It was a moment that showed just how timeless great jazz can be — as fitting in a Camden basement on a crisp autumn night as it was at Montmartre ninety years ago.
Harrop’s vocals ranged from raw and bluesy to velvety smooth, her phrasing imbued with both classic soul and modern nuance.
The second half saw Harrop introduce Ashley Campbell, the other half of Campbell Jensen and daughter of the legendary Glen Campbell. Ashley, who began her career touring with her father as guitarist and banjoist, has since forged a distinctive path as a singer-songwriter in her own right.
Staying with the night’s ethereal theme, the duo performed a hauntingly beautiful version of A Song by Vampires for Vampires from their album Turtle Cottage. This stripped-back rendition, absent Campbell’s usual banjo, unfolded with slow-burning intensity — delicate harmonies revealing the pair’s chemistry in full.
They followed with It’s Hard Not to Smile, another highlight from Turtle Cottage, rooted unmistakably in the gypsy jazz traditions of Reinhardt. Harrop later returned to the stage, spurring Jensen on through a spirited take on Henry Mancini’s Charade, their musical interplay deepening as the evening progressed.
Remarkably, this was only the second time Harrop and Jensen had performed together, yet their connection on stage suggested years of shared experience. It was a night of charm, craftsmanship, and camaraderie — a testament to the enduring appeal of live jazz and another triumph for this gem of a Camden venue. Glenn Wright
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